She Knew My Fate

She knew my fate in some funny way

holding on as I went that day

I bade her goodnight and left her,

my Faith, quivering like an ember

Left her, unto the night I went

Oh foggy forest where we met

upon this journey, cold and wet

I walked on sleepily in your trance

She knew my fate

I was birthed from the devilish trees

to what an Elect never sees

It spread to her, and them; a rash

my Faith jumped in, and sin did splash

I knew none would be the same, but

She knew my fate

Summer Reading: Book No.3

Book No.3: The Origin of Species

This book was very interested, yet difficult to read because of it's length and also because it was a work of fiction rather than non-fiction, like my other books were. Nate recommended that I read this book, and I was pretty interested in reading it because i've always been fascinated by natural selection and evolution and how species are formed due to their climates and other animals around them. One of the reasons why Nate probably recommended this to me was because when it was published, it caused a controversy between religion and science.

One thing that I liked about this was that Darwin doesn't know, nor try to know, everything about everything. He knows that some things are still a mystery. I also liked that his ideas combatted religious ideas by providing logic to counter argue what most religious people believe in.

Nate thought that because the book was so old, that it wasn't very relevant now in the sense that the wording is odd and it's more difficult to read, and I completely agree. One of the things he did find interesting, and I, as well, found it interesting- was the way that Darwin came up with his theories used today. With this book we got to take a closer look at how these were developed and what his thinking was behind those theories.

Summer Reading: Book No.2

Summer Reading Book No.2: The Catcher in the Rye

The second book that I read was The Catcher in the Rye, recommended to me by Nate Ross, a former Junior. I asked for his advice on picking out both of my honors books, and his recommendations were great because I had never read The Catcher in the Rye, but had always wanted to because it's a classic, and it might be important for Junior year.

I really liked this book because of the way the author writes. It's not only well written, but it's also easily relatable and the conversations are fun to listen to. It's like listening to a good friend tell you a long story. It was also refreshing to read something "as told by" a teenager in the city that was also considered to be a classic. The book gives you a lot to think about and reflect on as you relate it to your day-to-day. A few things that I did dislike though were how at he would repeat things, from simple phrases used again and again, to whole concepts and ideas about his life. I understand that it was supposed to be written in the perspective of a teenager, and a lot of teens repeat things, but I thought that because it was a novel, that might be different for the sake of the reader.

Nate said that he really enjoyed this book because it was "real", and I completely agree. It was very easily relatable and real and fun to read. One thing that Nate disliked was that fact that Holden "was a little bit too much of a bitch at times". I also agree, because he kept going over the same things, and overreacting to everything that happened too him.

Overall I think that this book is an essential book for anyone, and as the back of the book says, "You will never forget it."

Summer Reading: Book No.1

Book No.1: The Five People You Meet in Heaven

This book was recommended to me by my Dad who is an avid book reader and keeps a large collection of old and new books at his house. I sat down next to his stack of books and picked out a few, one of them being The Five People You Meet in Heaven. He told me that it was a great book, and that I should read either that or Tuesdays with Morrie, which is another book by the same author.
I really enjoyed this book. The author is both able to carry on a conversation within the book, and keep a steady yet entertaining plot. I loved how he told different stories of his past in these sort of "flashbacks" while traveling through heaven. The "Today is Eddie's Birthday" sequences became a little repetitive, which is one thing I did not enjoy. But his stories of war, of love, of the freak shows in town, and of his life long connection with Ruby Pier were very interesting.
My dad and I both agree that we love the author's writing style, because it's easy to read, yet has meaning, not just senseless drama and conversation. We also talked about how the author offers up an interesting new way to look at heaven. Instead of a place in the clouds with whatever you want, it is a place to reflect upon your life and understand what happened and why, via the people who knew you best, and some strangers that were impacted by significant occurrences in life.
I feel like this quote (from the song Tiny Rainbows by Nana Grizol) represents the moral behind this book wonderfully.
"We were ourselves, but blended at the edges as it should be."

OWW: Reflection

One World Week
Project Description:
Every year, our school takes one week off to take a fun trip. Some of these are out of the country or out of the state, and some are local. For mine, I went around San Diego and went to different artistic places and ate great food. We also took a lot of pictures. We also took public transportation everywhere, and that was very different, because it took a long time, and the people come from all walks of life.

Process:
We took the bus everywhere!! We got to learn a little bit about the bus system and what buses go where. We also had to take pictures, knowing that we were going to make something out of them. Everyday we had to come to school at a specific time so we could catch our bus.

Reflection:
On this trip, I learned about art, and different ways to take interesting and obscure pictures of things. I also learned that public transportation takes a very, very, long time. I didn't really encounter any challenges on this trip. This trip was my last choice, but once I was there and having fun, I wouldn't change anything. I've made so many wonderful friends through this OWW trip, and I'm grateful for that. This will help me in the future because now I am confident with riding the bus and I museums are actually pretty fun.

Profiles in Belief: Reflection

Profiles in Belief
Project Description:
For this project, first we read the essays sent into NPR's website. We were inspired by these peoples' personal stories and beliefs. Then we created our own list of 30 things we believe to brainstorm. Next, we revised and wrote many drafts until we had our final piece. Then we formatted it so that it could be displayed professionally. We also bought frames to hold our essays, and we made profile silhouettes.

Process:
We were told that we needed a frame way in advance, so were told to look in thrift stores because it's a "greener" option, which also ties into our LULS project. We also revised many drafts, and learned about how to write a real persuasive essay. We took long notes about it and we learned how to tell a personal essay from a memoir or a narrative. Then, right at the end, we cut out our profiles in construction paper and matted it in our frames.

Reflection:
In this project, I found something inside myself that I wasn't sure was there before. When I wrote this essay, i just found these ideas and beliefs pouring out of me, and it was great. This was one of my best writings this year. The only challenge that I encountered was when I was writing my essay. I had a hard time connecting the different parts of my essay. But once I had revised my drafts, I could fix my essay so that it flowed better. The only thing I would have done differently is wear my hair up in a bun for my profile. This will help me in the future, because I learned that when you are really passionate about something, finding how to put it into words is nearly effortless.

Evelyn Glennie: Music Blog Post

What will you remember about her performance? Be specific about the experience.
I will remember how she carried herself and how she performed. I thought it was interesting how she really got into the music she was playing. She talked about how proper form doesn't really matter; it's how you flow with your instrument that matters.

Describe what it felt like listening to her play. What factors helped create this moment? You can describe any of the times that she played on either instrument (the Snare drum or Marimba).
I felt freaked out. It was like she transformed into a weirdo. But it worked for her, so I respect that. I also felt a lot of suspense when she played the drum. Like, when they showed the close up of the drum and she was going super fast, I sat on the edge of my seat.

What elements of her performance influenced what the audience heard?
The elements of her performance that influenced the audience were when she talked about how everyone hears music differently. Someone playing the instrument will hear something different than someone sitting under the instrument, and someone in the front row will hear something different than a person in the very back row.

What did she mean by, "Each person experiences music in their own way"? Think about how you experience music and why everyone doesn't enjoy listening to the same music.
She meant that everyone hears music differently and takes music in differently. A blind person will take music in differently than a deaf person. She showed us this when she told us about how she would listen to the wall resonating the sound, and how she could hear music that way.